Chengdu Gourmet, Taiwanese Bistro Cafe 33, Umami among Pittsburgh Magazine's Best Restaurants 2018.

Umami, by Hal Klein.

Three newish Asian restaurants, two that opened in 2016 and one in 2014, were named to Pittsburgh Magazine's annual list of Best Restaurants.

Oakmont ministry trains Chinese teachers to work with autistic children.

Photo by Louis B. Ruediger.

The Valley Dispatch has a profile today on an Oakmont group helping Chinese teachers improve care given to young children with autism.

Day of the Western Sunrise rough-cut screening at Melwood Screening Room, June 12.

Pittsburgh Filmmakers just announced that a rough-cut screening documentary Day of the Western Sunrise will play at the Melwood Screening Room on June 12.

Keith Reimink is screening a rough cut of his new feature length documentary "Day of the Western Sunrise."

"Day of the Western Sunrise" tells of real life story the Japanese tuna trawler Daigo Fukuryu Maru, or the Lucky Dragon No. 5, and it's 23 man crew. On March 1st, 1954, the fishermen onboard the Lucky Dragon survived the biggest explosion ever caused by man, the Castle Bravo thermonuclear test in the Pacific Ocean. That's just the start of the story. Through survivor interviews and beautiful animation the film tells how their lives were forever changed while showing the long-term impact of this devastating event.

In 2015 Keith traveled to Japan to interview the surviving crew members of the Lucky Dragon, their families, and to visit their fishing village.

Members of the Pittsburgh Japanese-speaking community were involved in some of the scenes. A reception starts at 7:00 pm and the movie starts at 8:00. Tickets are $5, and the theater is located at 477 Melwood Ave. in Oakland (map).

Jessica Yu's 2007 movie Ping Pong Playa part of Cinema in the Park this August.

The 2018 Cinema in the Park lineup was announced today and the 2007 movie Ping Pong Playa is among the selections. Rotten Tomatoes provides a summary:

Christopher "C-dub" Wang is a suburban guy who sports an urban swagger, waxes political on all things Asian American, and clings to pipe dreams of a career as a pro basketball player. Blaming genetics for his failure to make the NBA, C-dub lives at home, works a dead-end job, and squirms in the shadow of his older brother, Michael, a doctor and ping pong champion. When the Wang family livelihood is threatened by a rival ping pong player's attempts to lure the kids away, C-dub begins to take things more seriously. With the National Golden Cock Tournament coming up and an injured Michael unable to defend his title, C-dub must become the player he pretends to be and defend his family's ping pong dynasty.

The movie will play at Schenley Park's Flagstaff Hill on August 8 and at Observatory Hill's Riverview Park on August 11. Movies start at dusk and are free and open to the public.

Attack on Titan Season 2 the Movie: The Roar of Awakening (進撃の巨人 ～覚醒の咆哮~) in Pittsburgh, July 10 and 11.

The 2018 movie Attack on Titan Season 2 the Movie: The Roar of Awakening (進撃の巨人 ～覚醒の咆哮~) will play at the Southside Works Cinema on July 10 and 11.

Pitt's Katz Graduate School of Business hiring bilingual Mandarin-English administrative assistant for summer work.

The University of Pittsburgh's Katz Graduate School of Business is hiring a bilingual Mandarin-English administrative assistant for a summer position.

The University of Pittsburgh is seeking an Administrative Assistant. The administrative assistant will perform general clerical work and serve as an MS student “ambassador” to recent graduates (alumni), incoming/current students and applicants, with a preference for those with Mandarin language skills as well as strong English skills. The position requires exceptional communication skills, as the successful candidate will utilize not only social media and email, but may speak in front of groups of incoming students during Orientation events and activities. This position requires strong teamwork skills, as they will be an integral part of the MS Program Office team over the summer.

The position will report to Director, MS Programs. Will perform duties as supervised by Assistant Director, MS Programs.

Pitt hiring part-time Summer East Asian Language Study (SEALS) Lab Supervisor.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures is hiring a part-time Summer East Asian Language Study (SEALS) Lab Supervisor.

The University of Pittsburgh is seeking a language lab supervisor. The candidate will supervise students during required language lab hours for the Japanese summer intensive language program, referred to as SEALS (summer east Asian language study). Additionally, the candidate will ensure that all students are using the software correctly, enforce rules that students use video and audio files correctly, record student attendance, answer questions, and assist lead instructors as needed.

The pay is $10 per hour and the anticipated workload is 10-15 hours per week.

1992 Hayao Miyazaki film Porco Rosso (紅の豚) in Pittsburgh, May 20, 21, 23.

The 1992 Hayao Miyazaki film Porco Rosso (紅の豚) will play at Pittsburgh-area Cinemark theaters on May 20, 21, and 23 as part of this year's GKIDS Ghibli Fest. The distributor provides a summary:

This unsung treasure from Hayao Miyazaki nestles a tale of morality and identity inside a soaring airborne adventure — a tribute to early aviation and the reckless flyboys whose home was the open sky.

Set in a mid-war Italy swept by fascism, the film follows the life of Marco, a world-weary flying ace-turned bounty hunter who plies his trade above the waters of the Adriatic. Somewhere along the way a curse has transformed Marco’s head into the head of a pig, reflecting his loss of faith in humanity. Marco meets his polar opposite in the innocent and energetic 17-year-old Fio, an aspiring airplane designer, and the two are catapulted into an airborne adventure pursued by air pirates, the Italian army, and an egotistical American flying ace.

The movie will play with English subtitles on May 21, and will be dubbed in English on May 20 and 23. Area Cinemark theaters currently scheduled to show Porco Rosso are in Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson.

Enka singer Jero to go on hiatus from music career.

via @jeroenka

Pittsburgh native Jero (Jerome White), who found fame in Japan as an enka singer, announced via his official blog that he is going on hiatus from his music career to return to a job in Information Technology. A 2003 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Jero has toured and performed in Japan since releasing his first single in 2008. Enka is a style of music that remains popular in Japan with older generations (similar to Korean trot), and thus Jero---as a young, black American man---provided a contrast to the typical trot singer.

Japanese garage-rock band The Molice in Pittsburgh, May 18.

via @molice.music

Japanese band The Molice will play in Pittsburgh on May 18 as part of their US tour. The band describes itself:

While many Japanese bands are the product of management hired producers and stylists, Molice are the band’s own unique brew of rock. Drawing inspiration from 70’s punk’s DIY spirit, 80’s new wave stylish power pop and 90’s unchained indies guitar rock, the band has hammered out their own sound. Their name draws on a number of musical inspirations as well- the Police, and the “mo” of Jim Morrison, Mo Tucker, and Morissey.
The band cites the Pixies, Police, and Doors as their main inspirations, but incorporate elements of goth, classical, dance, shoegaze,and post-hardcore as well. Listening to the range of music on albums challenges fans to completely define their style.

The Molice is joined by Y La Bamba, Garter Shake, and Boiled Denim. The show starts at 9:00; Howlers is located at 4509 Liberty Ave. in Bloomfield (map).